Using Military and Veteran Benefits to Pay for Your Graduate Degree

University of San Diego (USD) has a long history of partnering with active duty military, veterans, and their families to provide an outstanding education. With fully-online degrees, we are now able to expand the reach of the high quality education we provide students across the United States and internationally. This allows USD to offer a greater number of military students professional advancement opportunities.
Jump to USD’s Military and Veterans Program website

Military Financial Support:

• Montgomery G.I. Bill®
• Montgomery GI Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)
• VEAP (Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Educational Assistance Program)
• Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program
• Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
• Post-9/11 G.I. Bill®, including
  • Yellow Ribbon Program
  • Transfer of Entitlement Option

Explore Your Options with the G.I. Bill® Comparison Tool

How to Apply for Your VA Benefits

There are two steps needed in order to get your benefits processed:

Step #1

Well in advance, you will need to apply online with the VA to receive your benefit entitlement. If you are a transfer student already established using the VA benefit at another school, you must complete a VA form 22-1995 Change of Place or Training Program.

Apply for Your VA Benefits Now

Step #2

All students using VA benefits of any kind will need to get a VA Certificate of Eligibility letter (or a screenshot from eBenefits stating your eligibility and benefit entitlement). Each term you will be required to submit proof of certification along with your USD student ID number to USD’s Certifying Official, even if you are currently or have previously processed benefits. You must be logged into your USD email or google account to access the form and not a personal email.

Fill out USD’s V.A. benefit form

How the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® Works at USD

There are two ways the VA counts your benefit: time and money.

• For time, you are given a number of months/days that you can be enrolled and receive benefits. The VA will count days based on the official dates of the term you are enrolled. If you are the Veteran, the benefit covers an entire term as long as you had at least a day of benefits left to start your last term. If the benefit was transferred to you, the VA prorates your benefit based on the exact number of days you have left and only pays for those specific days.
• For money, there are annual tuition limits that can be paid to you within a VA fiscal year (this amount resets every year on Aug. 1). You must be using months/days of your benefit to receive Yellow Ribbon Funds.

How is Your Benefits Award Posted to Your Student Account?

The Financial Aid office will pre-post either VA Post 9/11 or USD Yellow Ribbon scholarships on student accounts at the beginning of each term. Other financial aid awards will be adjusted accordingly.

Note: Only Non-Title IV awards; ROTC, CALGRANT, employee tuition remission or discounts and or tuition based only scholarship/grants will be deducted first before Post 9/11 and YRP is applied to student’s account.

Disclaimer: Each student’s award is unique and financial aid packages will be recalculated according to multiple policies for different sources of funding. Please consult with Financial Aid directly once your financial aid package has been adjusted to reflect the G.I. Bill® and Yellow Ribbon amounts with the new USD Gift Aid amounts.

Need Assistance? Contact USD’s Military and Veterans Program

Phone: 619-260-7483
Email: military@sandiego.edu

Office Location:

Hahn University Center Room 225
Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Mailing Address:

5998 Alcalá Park, UC Room 225, San Diego, CA 92110